Parker Sibling Series Box Set

by Leigh Ann Lunsford

  He is watching my face, trying to read if I understand him or not. I just nod, and he continues. “Do you remember what happened?” Again, I nod an affirmative.

  “Do you feel up to giving your statement?” he asks.

  “Can you give me a moment with my sisters first?” I ask.

  He readily agrees. “Whatever makes you comfortable, Cambree.”

  Addison moves to get Brielle as the doctor and nurse leave. Brielle immediately comes and stands beside me; her first instinct I am sure is to hug me, but is afraid. I must look worse than I feel. I try to lighten the mood and ask, “What, no song for this situation?”

  She grins a bit and asks, “What happened, sweetie? We got a call from a detective, and they are outside talking to Mitch and Max.”

  I sigh. I have not told them about all the weird calls and texts I have gotten, and they still doesn’t know I know the full story about Brent. Now, with his sick fascination with me, I feel like I am bringing him back in our life. I know I need to brace them for this.

  “Are Colby and Tyler here?” I ask Addison.

  “Of course they are.”

  “Get them in here.” I try to tell Addison without words that this is going to be bad.

  As soon as she moves to the door, I look to Brielle. “It isn’t that bad, I just don’t want to repeat myself,” I lie to her.

  Colby takes his place beside Brielle and Tyler by Addison. Both of them are staring at me, and pain and sorrow are in their eyes, but the intense glare and hard set of their jaw is screaming extreme anger. I feel sorry for whoever flips that switch. They are two of the greatest guys I know, human and flawed, but so in love with my sisters and our family. I am a mixture between little sister and daughter to all four of them, so I get what they are feeling.

  I decide to dive right in. “This is a long and messy story, I need you to listen, no interrupting with comments, or song requests.” I glance at all of them and they all nod in agreement. “Right before I left for Athens I started getting weird text messages and phone calls from an unknown number. They weren’t really threatening, just petty shit. I figured they were from Adam or some high school stuff, saying things like, “I know we will be together at UGA, or I think of you all the time.” Once, I got to Athens, they became more frequent. Then I started getting flowers delivered occasionally. I asked Adam about it, and he denied anything about it. Today, I agreed to meet Max to talk, and right before I met him, I got a text warning me not to do that, and when something happened in the coffee shop I bolted. I don’t know how or what exactly happened, but I was grabbed from behind and dragged to an alleyway. I struggled and fought back, but when the guy slammed my head against the wall, I don’t remember anything. The one thing I know is that they said Brent will be pissed with the marks on my face, and he didn’t warn them I would fight. They said that this was going to cost him double. I don’t know what that means, just that he was behind this.”

  They are all shocked . . . Brielle the most. Just his name makes her blood run cold, and the fact he threatened us all a few months ago.

  “That motherfucker is dead,” Colby shouts.

  “Why didn’t you tell us, Cambree?” asks Tyler.

  I don’t have any answers, so I decide the truth is the best way I can explain. “I know everything that happened. Brielle told me some when I asked, but I found documents and legal papers with Granddad’s stuff. I never want him to leave a mark on her family and never thought it was him doing this shit. I honestly had no idea, now I do. I will tell you I am terrified. I don’t know what he is capable of.”

  Watching them all deal with my statement, I am hit with the enormity of it. Dustin is near that slime ball. “Has anyone reached Dustin?” I ask whoever will answer me.

  Brielle answers, “I left him a message. He will call and be here as soon as he can.”

  She really believes the best in him. I hope she isn’t disappointed. “B, I am scared. Dustin is near him, you have to get him home.” I know I sound hysterical at this point, but Dustin is my little brother. I have always protected him and watched over him, much like my sisters did for me.

  “Working on it honey. I swear. He will be safe,” she tells me. I don’t know if she is trying to reassure herself or me.

  Right then there is a knock on the door, and a detective walks in. “I am Detective Gray. Is now a good time to talk to you?”

  “Yes.”

  He looks a little uncomfortable and takes in everyone around my room. “I am sorry to do this, but . . . alone. You are all possible witnesses in this ongoing case, and I have to keep witnesses separate.”

  “What?” Brielle shouts at him. Colby tries to calm her by wrapping her up, but she fights him. “She has just been attacked, we weren’t even in the same state, she is barely a legal adult, and we didn’t witness shit.”

  “Mrs. James, I understand you are upset, but I was just briefed, and your whole family is part of this investigation.” He has shocked us into silence. Major accomplishment there.

  “What the fuck?” Tyler mutters.

  “If you step outside I will interview Cambree, and there are two detectives out there, last name Baird. Maybe they can break it down for you.”

  Fucking Max. Of course he would be involved. Did he just call him a detective?

  Colby and Tyler are man-handling Addy and Brielle outside, and that does make me giggle a bit.

  Detective Gray comes over and sits down next to the bed and asks if we can begin. I immediately repeat my story to him and answer his questions. Anything to catch this psycho.

  Chapter 2

  Mitch

  Tyler, Colby, Addison, and Brielle come out of the hospital room, and they have their confusion written on their face. I don’t know what the detective told them, but whatever it was, I need to clean up the mess.

  I make my way to them, and Tyler looks at me. I am almost positive he is replaying our conversation from before about me protecting them and watching out for them. I promised I would let him know before it got dangerous, but we didn’t have a lock down on what would happen, and that is on me. Now, my baby sister is in that room, and I can’t do shit about it, and I can’t admit my true involvement because it will blow the case all to hell.

  “You need to explain anything to us?” Tyler asks me.

  “From all indications, this was Brent. We didn’t know he was moving on her. Besides the text messages, she wasn’t even on his radar anymore.”

  “What in the fuck do you mean on his radar?” Brielle is entering this conversation. While I love this girl, I need her to stand down.

  “You promised me you would keep me in the loop and let me know when I needed to protect my family,” Tyler accuses me.

  “Back up, Ty. You mean you knew something was going on?” Addison turns to him.

  Well isn’t this lovely. As much as I am a sucker for a family pow-wow, this isn’t the time or place. Max lets out a whistle to get us all to halt. Everyone turns to stare at him, and he just nods at me to explain. He is hanging on by a thread.

  “Listen up. I am working undercover on a case. It involves Brent Hall.” I pause as I see Brielle visibly flinch. If that fucker hurts one more family member of mine, I will lose my badge. “There is some stuff that is confidential in this case that we won’t be able to share with you. I have been basically eyes and ears on you guys, keeping an eye on you to see if his threats would manifest. We knew Cambree had been getting texts for a few months, and never said anything to us. We knew they were coming from Brent from monitoring his incoming and outgoing calls, and we knew he had an interest in her. How much of one, we didn’t know . . . until today. That being said, we fucked up and underestimated him. Won’t happen again. Max has been keeping an eye on her, and until today she had not encountered any danger. Don’t know what set him off, but things are going to tighten up with you all.” I hope that they will take that explanation, but I know them, and it isn’t going to fly. Too bad, that is all I have for t
hem.

  “Hold up.” Brielle cannot help herself. “You tell me you have been keeping an eye on us for months. Max watching Cambree while she is here at school, you watching us back home, and nobody felt it important to notify us . . . warn us? You are proof that evolution can go in reverse if you think that shit is going to fly.”

  Damn Brielle. She is a freaking mess. “This is all I have for you . . .”

  “Dig deeper, Mitch. Like a ditch deep. I am not playing, and I think you get me.”

  I do get her, but I can’t jeopardize their safety. I don’t give a damn about the case after this. Now I have to protect them any way I see fit. “I know you are upset, Brielle. I can’t change the facts. This is bigger than you and me. Once I find out what happened here and what the next step is, I promise I will fill you in. Until then, I need you to please do this my way.”

  “Nope.” Her quick one-word response should not have made me laugh, but it did. I didn’t expect any less from her. “And you . . .” she turns to Max. “I don’t know how you were keeping an eye on Cambree when she didn’t want you around her, and I don’t know how it was possible because you are supposed to be at Tennessee. Don’t you think you hurt her enough last summer?”

  Max holds her stare. I have to give that boy credit. He breaks first. “I am undercover. The Tennessee thing was just an excuse, and then she changed her mind about schools. I hurt her, but not intentionally. I own up to that, but I will also let you know that neither you, nor your family will stop me from going after what I want, and that is Cambree.”

  I hear Tyler suck in a deep breath. Max has balls; I give him credit for that. He just threw the gauntlet down with Brielle, and that is a mistake. I pity the fool. He thought Hope had spunk. She seemed like Pollyanna compared to Brielle.

  Brielle just starts laughing, and I can tell Max is caught off guard. “Challenge accepted,” she throws at him. This isn’t going to end well for someone, but I am not ready to place bets.

  “Let’s just stop this now. We have more important things to consider.” I try and calm down the situation. Right then Detective Gray comes out and walks up to the group.

  “I have her statement, and as hard as this will be for some of you, I need to talk to each of you individually.” He faces me. “I understand there is an open case in Florida, but this happened on my turf, so consider us in this now.” Did he give me an option? This is getting messier and more complicated by the moment. They still don’t have all the information, and right now I can’t let them have it all.

  Brielle immediately looks shaken, and Colby is trying to comfort her. “Dustin?” she asks. Colby shakes his head.

  “We need to get him home, now. I don’t know what is going on, but he is near that psycho, and I want him home.”

  Shit, here goes nothing. “Brielle, this is the last thing you want to hear, but that isn’t a good idea. Right now he is safe. We have eyes and ears on him, and if you pull him out, that may tip Brent off, and then nobody is safe.”

  She looks at me like she is deciding if she wants to murder me in front of witnesses. That boy is her Achilles heel. Detective Gray and Max both start agreeing with me, and she just glares. “We will discuss this as a family with no input from you.” If she only knew . . . Max looks at me and while none of this is remotely funny, I see his lips twitching. I cut it off with a shake of my head.

  I dare to ask, “Can I please see Cambree?” Surprisingly, they all agree and then head to the lobby to talk to the Detective.

  I wasn’t prepared to see her lying in the bed looking so defeated and small. It is so different from Hope, but the feelings are very similar. “Hey, Cambree.”

  “Hey, stranger. You didn’t have to come all the way here to see me.” She is always so sweet.

  “I am kind of working this case from afar, but even if I wasn’t, nothing could stop me.” I watch her face for any sign of confusion.

  “Detective Gray explained it to me. I am confused, but I don’t know how much more I can take, Mitch. All the lies, and heartache is enough for ten lifetimes. Why can’t things be simple?” She sounds like such a little girl when she asks me this. I don’t want this to defeat her.

  “Hey, sweet girl. It will all work out. Don’t take it on yourself. You have family and friends who will carry this load for you.” I hope she takes this advice to heart.

  She just shakes her head. “You and everyone else can’t keep carrying my load. This happened to me, and I don’t know why. Just like it happened to Brielle, and yet that sick bastard is still walking free. Look what he has done to our family, and our parents did nothing to stop it. Now he has Dustin as a pawn, and his reign of terror isn’t over. Then add your brother in the mix, and I don’t even know what to think. I seriously want to pack up and move away . . . far away. When this mess is over, I may come home to visit. I am so tired of fighting for justice and what is right, when everyone else does what they want with no consequences.”

  Damn, she feels so much. Addison, Brielle, Colby, and Tyler tried to shield her, but her heart is too big. She feels this deeply. “Max is a good guy, caught up in a bad situation. I can’t tell you what to do about that, but please know we all love you. Don’t run. Don’t be a coward. Stay and stand up for what is right. You have it in you, sweet girl, I know you do.” I want to hold her and comfort her, but that isn’t my place. Maybe one day, I will have that. She reminds me so much of Hope. She is sensitive and beautiful, but she has a backbone of steel. I don’t want to see her crumble like Hope did. I couldn’t handle it if I lost another sister.

  She reaches out and squeezes my hand, reassuring me. “I will do my best. Just don’t worry about me. Catch this asshole.” I smile and nod at her.

  Chapter 3

  Brielle

  Colby is hovering, Addison is shell-shocked, and Tyler looks like he is ready to kill someone. Probably Mitch for calling his ass out. I will get to the bottom of that. I am just trying not to think about what happened to Cambree, and what this detective wants me to rehash. The last few months after seeing Brent have been hell. The way he looked at Riley, now going after Cambree . . . it is just too much.

  We are led into a conference room, and he isn’t separating us. He must realize this is a smart idea. Colby wouldn’t leave my side, and while I am not thrilled Max is here and no doubt he will tell Mitch everything, at this moment I don’t have a choice. Not that I still blame myself, but there are just some things you don’t want to be common knowledge, but for some reason, I suspect they already know about the past.

  “Let’s start with you, Brielle,” Detective Gray starts. “I won’t ask you details, because I have read the file, but I do need to ask some questions.” I just nod my head in agreement so he will hurry up and get this over with. “I understand Mr. Hall molested you when you were twelve. While it wasn’t reported to the police, your grandparents took custody of you and your siblings, and up until a few months ago, you had no contact. Is that correct?”

  Colby is barely hanging on to his composure. It isn’t anything we haven’t dealt with or talked through, but hearing it laid out there by a stranger is a bit disturbing. “Yes, sir. I reported it to my parents, they chose for whatever reason not to believe me. I had already told my best friend, Cooper Reed, and he called my grandfather. Less than twenty four hours later, I was home in Tennessee. I saw my parents and Brent when they showed up the day Cambree was leaving for college. There was an altercation with Brent and my husband after he tried to confront me and my children.”

  “Are the facts here the general consensus for you all?” he asks everyone. Addison, Tyler, and Colby agree. “I think we have enough, but let me explain some things to you without putting the case in jeopardy. Detectives Mitch and Max Baird have been working undercover for the past year. Mitch longer, but Max was brought in to help contain the situation. Mr. Hall and your father are under investigation for numerous things . . . money-laundering being the biggest. The feds are involved, and nobody was aware t
he situation with Cambree was escalating. After talking to her, she shared with me about flower deliveries and text messages. While it was creepy to her, she didn’t think anything dangerous would come out of it. I will tell you she was damn lucky Max was there to save her because from what I can tell, whatever he had planned for her, it wouldn’t have been pleasant.”

  I feel as if I may be ill, and Colby notices my panic. “Enough,” he growls at the detective. I reach out for his hand. I need his touch right now. “What I need to know from this point on, is my family, any of them, in danger?”

  Max steps up, “Colby, we honestly aren’t sure. Until we can get more intel, we are keeping a close eye, and are going to arrange additional measures. I don’t know why he is still targeting Brielle and Cambree, and until we figure it out, I will personally see to Cambree, but we all need to be aware.”

  Holy shit, hasn’t this man terrorized me enough? When will it be over? I shudder thinking of what could have happened to Cambree, and Max must realize this. He comes over and kneels in front of me. “Don’t go there, Brielle. I let her get away, and I was a few minutes behind her. I am tearing myself up over that, but don’t let your head go there. No what ifs; just be thankful she will be okay.”

  “You saved her, don’t beat yourself up. Thank you,” I tell him. He gets a soft look in his eyes, but then I continue. “That being said, and seriously you have my gratitude, what you don’t have is my permission to hurt her again. You may have to find someone else for her protection because unless she says it is okay, you don’t get near her. You have no idea what you did to her. She thought she hid it well, but she didn’t.”

  He just stares at me. I can tell he is in turmoil. He doesn’t want anyone else protecting her, and he feels guilty. But the smart guy that he is, he realizes he cares about her enough not to hurt her anymore. That is enough for me. I decide right there, he is a good guy. I don’t know what exactly went down, Cambree didn’t share. Regardless, I have learned that nothing is too big to overcome. Unless it is cheating, then you move the fuck on. He better not have cheated on her.